IND vs IRE: "You Have The Responsibility"- Virat Kohli pleaded to carry the same aggressive intent

Regardless of how he bats and regardless of his strike rate, former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar believes Virat Kohli's winning mindset will remain the same. 

Virat Kohli among other players in the Indian team is all set to be in action tomorrow when they take on Ireland in their ICC T20 World Cup 2024 opener. The Men in Blue will be aiming to start their Group A campaign with a win and 2 crucial points at the Nassau County Stadium based in New York. 

5 days from now, India will lock horns with arch-rivals and long-standing enemy Pakistan in their second Group A game in New York on June 9th. In their previous meeting at the T20 WC two years ago in Australia, Virat Kohli was the one who snatched the game away from Pakistan's reach as the Indians had clinched a 4-wicket victory. 

What did Sanjay Bangar say about Virat Kohli's strike rate? 

Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar was recently in a conversation with Star Sports wherein he discussed Rohit Sharma's side's chances. He was also asked to shed some light on what Virat Kohli's mindset is going to be for this T20 World Cup edition in the USA and West Indies. 

Bangar claimed that Virat Kohli, regardless of how he plays - slow or fast, his main motive will be to get his team over the line. He has been playing for the country for a long time and has the responsibility of helping India win games. And for that reason, Bangar believes Kohli might not play in the same way as he has been doing for years. 

Virat Kohli is also in very good form, having scored more than 700 runs in the 2024 Indian Premier League season and becoming the highest run-getter. In India, he found flat batting tracks and he was criticized heavily for his low strike rate but in New York, he will find a slow surface where the striking rate won't matter that much. 

"You cannot decide and go that you will play like that only because when you play for a long time for any team, obviously, you have the responsibility to win matches. So whichever way he plays, playing shots or in his own fashion, his focus will be more on winning matches." - Sanjay Bangar told Star Sports. 

Bangar feels Kohli will touch new heights 

Sanjay Bangar then appreciated Virat Kohli for his performances in major ICC tournaments. He has been the team's best player and the highest scorer in the previous two white-ball competitions - the 50-over World Cup in 2023 and the T20 World Cup in 2022. 

He is also the highest run-scorer in T20 World Cup history and he will be aiming to add to his tally of 1141 runs he has scored in the event since 2012. If these achievements aren't enough, Bangar believes Virat Kohli can touch new heights. 

"The way he has performed in T20 World Cups or any World Cup, he has raised his game a lot. So I have full belief that he will touch new heights in this World Cup." - Sanjay Bangar concluded.